IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 494 

Affirming the importance of the Taiwan Relations Act. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 28, 2014 

Mr. ROYCE (for himself, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. CHABOT, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. KENNEDY, and Mr. MESSER) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period 

to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 

concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Affirming the importance of the Taiwan Relations Act. 

Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act has been instrumental in 

maintaining peace, security, and stability in the Taiwan 

Strait since its enactment in 1979, and it is in the political, international and economic interests of the United 

States; 

Whereas when the Taiwan Relations Act was enacted, it affirmed that the United States decision to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China was 

based on the expectation that the future of Taiwan would 

be determined by peaceful means; 


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•HRES 494 IH 

Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act states that it is the policy 

of the United States to provide Taiwan with arms of a 

defensive character to maintain the capacity to resist any 

resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or economic system, of 

the people on Taiwan; 

Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act also states that ‘‘it is the 

policy of the United States to preserve and promote extensive, close, and friendly commercial, cultural and other 

relations between the people on Taiwan, as well as the 

people on the China mainland’’; 

Whereas the relationship between the United States and Taiwan has been strengthened with— 

(1) Taiwan’s evolution into a free society and a fullfledged, multi-party democracy; 

(2) the development of Taiwan’s robust market 

economy; 

(3) Taiwan’s determined effort and collaboration 

with the United States to combat global terrorism, as 

demonstrated in part by its participation in the Container 

Security Initiative; and 

(4) the leadership role Taiwan has demonstrated in 

addressing transnational and global challenges, including 

its active engagement in humanitarian relief measures, 

public health endeavors, environmental protection initiatives, and financial market stabilization efforts; 

Whereas the United States is the third largest trading partner and the largest investor in Taiwan, while Taiwan is 

the eleventh largest trading partner of the United States 

and the sixth largest United States agricultural market; 


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•HRES 494 IH 

Whereas Taiwan’s democracy has deepened with the second 

peaceful transfer of power from one political party to another after the Presidential election in March 2008; and 

Whereas the United States and Taiwan are united in our 

shared values in fair elections, personal liberty, and free 

enterprise: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the 

3 Taiwan Relations Act as the cornerstone of relations 

4 between the United States and Taiwan; 

5 (2) reaffirms its support for Taiwan’s demo6 cratic institutions; 

7 (3) reaffirms that peace in the Taiwan Strait 

8 should be maintained to the benefit of the 

9 23,000,000 free people of Taiwan; 

10 (4) supports the United States commitment to 

11 Taiwan’s security in accord with the Taiwan Rela12 tions Act, including the sale of sophisticated defen13 sive weapons to Taiwan; 

14 (5) reaffirms its commitment to deepen United 

15 States-Taiwan trade and investment relations as well 

16 as support for Taiwan’s inclusion in bilateral and re17 gional trade agreements; and 

18 (6) supports the strong and deepening relation19 ship between the United States and Taiwan. 

Æ 


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